While director-producer Aanand L Rai is synonymous with small town romances and desi entertainers made under his home banner Colour Yellow Productions including Raanjhanaa, Tanu Weds Manu franchise, Happy Bhag Jayegi and Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, critically-acclaimed filmmaker Anurag Kashyap’s Phantom Films is known for hard-hitting films focusing on crime and politics such as Gangs of Wasseypur series, Gulaal and Black Friday among others.

The creative forces from different schools of filmmaking have collaborated for the first time for the highly-anticipated film, Mukkabaaz featuring Vinit Kumar, Zoya Hussain, Jimmy Shergill and Ravi Kishan that explores the journey of a boxer based in UP.

Produced by Aanand L Rai, Madhu Mantena, Vikramaditya Motwane and Anurag Kashyap, the movie is directed by Anurag Kashyap.

In the city of Bareilly (UP), aspiring boxer Shravan (Vinit) slogs day and night to achieve his dream of being a recognised boxer. Things go awry when he falls in love with a high caste, mute girl who happens to be the niece of his arch nemesis, the head of the state boxing federation, Bhagwandas Mishra (Jimmy).

The trailer of the sports drama launched today in Mumbai amidst a packed house by the cast and crew including producers Aanand L Rai, Anurag Kashyap and the cast Vinit Kumar, Zoya Hussain, Jimmy Shergill and Ravi Kishan has certainly got the audience excited and wanting more. With Anurag Kashyap and Aanand L Rai collaborating for the first time, Mukkabaaz is expected to be 2018’s first entertainer.

Aanand L Rai says, “I always wanted to work with Anurag. I know him since the time I started my journey as a filmmaker during Tanu Weds Manu. We have known each other since a long time now. I wanted to associate with Anurag and understand his filmmaking style and Mukkabaaz turned out to be a fruitful experience.”

Anurag Kashyap adds, “Mukkabaaz is a beautiful love story of a boxer and deals with social and political elements. I think the best way to reflect the social-political unrest in terms of a narrative was through a love story.”